I don't think re-homing is wrong, per say. But I do think a lot of people are REALLY dumb when it comes to getting to a dog in the first place and give really really lame excuses as to why they must re-home. I do believe there are some legit reasons to re-home and I won't look down on a person who does it.
I cannot even fathom re-homing Jackson. I can't barely even stand to leave him to go on vacation or on a day trip. Besides the fact that nobody in my family would ever let me re-home Jackson in the first place... he is a major part of this entire family... I just can't even imagine.
I took in a dog who belonged to a friend of a family friend who was not being treated the best and spent all of 6 hours with him and gave him to a reputable rescue and cried like a baby when I left him there. I felt so guilty - and this was not even my dog, yet the person I took him from did not even bother to be home to say "goodbye".
My best friend's sister, who is now almost 23, just got a puppy. She is in grad school and moved back in her parents house for now. Sure, she picks up the dog and thinks she's cute, she sleeps in her bed, but really... it's turning into her parents dog. She still is able to go off and do her thing and leave for the night, etc, because she knows her parents are there to take care of the dog. I can't wait to rush home to Jackson every night and wouldn't want to leave him if I don't have to.
It saddens me because Jackson is my friend, my buddy, my pal, companion... my heart. No matter what changes in my life, I cannot wait to experience it WITH him and have him as a part of it. Even if he one day cannot have the amount of attention he now gets, I think he'd still be 10000% happier staying with me than going somewhere else. We'll get thru it. One year, for example, of a bit less attention still leaves many many years for much more time together.
I guess it just always shocks me because I have such a close bond with my animals and it's always amazing to me when people don't. |